Close Enough to Start a War
by Jinxy13112
Summary: Cal and Ethan (obviously) not 100% on this idea but I am giving it a go anyways. Brotherly bickering included
1. Chapter 1

**Close Enough to Start a War **

**Chapter 1:**

Cal and Ethan had spent the last 6 months sharing a flat. It hadn't really been a problem at all, they both worked full time so didn't spend too much time in the flat and life had been going quite smoothly. This was until Cal, who did have a habit of bringing the odd woman back every so often, had gotten himself a long term girlfriend. Wanting time alone with his new girlfriend Taylor was proving difficult, he didn't want to keep going to hers but it was difficult to fully relax with her when he knew Ethan was there so had spent the last few weeks bribing his little brother to stay out, even so far to book him a week in a different country.

"No Cal, I just want to go home and relax tonight." Ethan told his annoyed looking brother as they walked through the ED door together.

"Come on, you were home last night!" Cal moaned.

"Funny that. It is my flat remember." Ethan reminded him as they stopped beside reception.

Cal rolled his eyes at him before walking into the staffroom like a child in a strop.

"Trouble?" Connie walked over, her heels causing her to tower over the younger doctor.

"Just Cal acting like a spoilt teenager who can't get him own way. Again." Ethan spoke as he watched his brother in the staffroom, he had took something out of his locker and was looking at him. Ethan soon looked back up at his boss and straightened up.

"As long as you don't let your domestic get in the way of your work Doctor Hardy." She warned him before striding off.

"Yes Mrs Beauchamp." He nodded and waited till she had got away before he went to the staffroom.

"What's that?" He asked Cal who was stood with his scrub top in his hand still.

"Nothing." Cal spoke and placed the small box in his locker before pulling his top over his white tshirt.

"What you hiding?" Ethan asked again reaching over and grabbing it not failing to notice it was a ring box he opened it.

"Hey." Cal frowned and took it back. "It's for Taylor."

Ethan looked at Cal with a confused expression. "For Taylor? That think must have cost a fair bit Cal. You've only known Taylor for a few weeks."

Cal shrugged. "I was thinking about asking her to marry me."

"Marry you!?" Ethan repeated shocked. "For god sake Cal, don't you think you're going a bit quick!?"

"I love her Ethan." He told him. "I've never loved a girl before. Not really."

Ethan shook his head disapprovingly. "You could have spent your money on something more important."

"Like what?" He frowned

"A deposit on a flat for a start!" Ethan told him.

"I thought our arrangement was ok?" Cal asked. "We've been doing just fine sharing and besides. Its two bedrooms."

"You assumed it was ok Cal. You muscled your way back into my life just last year and now you're living with me and bribing me to stay out the way." Ethan ranted.

"So you want me out then?" Cal nodded at him and slid the ring into his pocket. "You're unbelievable."

Cal spoke and left the staffroom before Ethan had the chance to respond. Truth was Ethan enjoyed having Cal around, what he didn't enjoy was feeling like a guest in his own home. Him and Cal done nothing but argue since Taylor came on the scene and now Cal was planning to propose brought the prospect of him actually settling down and chances are his and his brother's relationship was about to go down-hill. Very quickly.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2:**

"Right RTC on route one major three minors. Ethan and Rita I want you two with me in resus. Cal, Lofty and Robyn in cubicles." Connie told the team before she made her way to resus. Ethan promptly placed the notes he was holding on the desk and walked around it past his brother and followed Connie. Rita quickly trailed behind.

"What's going on with you two?" Rita questioned Ethan as they waited.

"Hmm?" Ethan looked at her clearly in a world of his own.

"You and Cal. He's been giving you evils all day." Rita laughed a little.

Ethan didn't find it amusing and sighed pulling his gloves on. "Oh, just family drama as usual. I indivertibly asked him to move out."

"And you don't want him to?" Rita asked frowning.

"Yes, no. I don't know. Living together and working together. It's just a bit much, he keeps wanting to bring Taylor round. I just think he'd be better with his own space." Ethan explained.

Rita didn't have time for another question as their patient was wheeled in.

"Right this is Taylor Ashbie, driver in an RTC with a police car. She was unconscious on scene but came round in the ambulance. Complaining of pain in the left arm which we splinted on scene. Had 5 of morphine and everything else seems fine. Been pretty lucky if you ask me." Dixie reeled off as they got her into resus and over onto a bed.

"Taylor?" Ethan frowned as he leaned over her.

"Ethan…" She replied looking terrified that he was there.

He pulled back the covers to see her good arm had been cuffed to the bed.

"Don't tell Caleb." She spoke as soon as she knew he'd saw them.

"What's going on?" He frowned.

"I'll tell you later, just please. Don't tell him. It's just a misunderstanding." She begged him.

Ethan took a deep breath. "Right, we need to get her to x-ray for that arm and book in a CT scan too." He told Rita who had been listening and nodded before going off to sort everything out.

Connie had left resus as soon as she knew that it wasn't a life threatening case, she figured she was needed more in cubicles.

"Come on then. Quick. Tell me whats going on before I tell Cal." Ethan spoke stone faced.

"It's just for speeding Ethan. I was trying to get away from someone. They're trying to kill me." She explained.

"Kill you?" Ethan frowned. "Why would someone do that?" he asked not convinced.

"I modelled a few photos. You know, X rated. They paid me and said they were for personal use but now they want their money back or they will come after me." She told him. "I don't have the money. Please Ethan, help me."

Ethan sighed he could see the genuine fear in her eyes. "How much?"

"Two grand." She admitted.

"Right, I'll do these scans and then discharge you. Go back to my place, in the kitchen the cupboard under the sink there is a safe." He told her and took out his pen and wrote on her good hand a 4 digit number. "There will be enough in there to cover it. You can pay me back in instalments."

"Thank you Ethan." She smiled. "Seriously, thank you. Cal won't know?"

"He won't know a thing." Ethan smiled.

Rita soon came back. "Right they can take you straight to x-ray now then straight to CT." She told them both. "And Cal is in CDU so you're safe." She added before the porters came to take her.

"She the reason you want Cal out?" Rita restarted her questioning.

"No," He shook his head. "It's not even that I want him out… I just… I don't know."

"What's wrong Ethan." Rita spoke knowing what he was like.

"It's hard, living together and working together. I mean when I think back, if someone had told me this would be our situation even just 18 months ago I'd laugh. I just never imagined it would be like this." Ethan sighed and threw his gloves in the bin. "He wants to propose to Taylor. But she is hiding something from him and now she has told me and expects me to."

"You two have so many secrets don't you?" Rita pointed out. "If you think he is making a mistake tell him."

"He wouldn't believe me even if I tried to Rita. He thinks I've got it in for them." He laughed slightly. "I'm helping her out of some trouble, hopefully she will make him happy and he can settle with her. If not, I will just pick up the pieces as usual."

Rita gave him a sympathetic smiled and patted his shoulder before she left leaving him to his thoughts.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3:**

Once Taylor's test results had come back Ethan discharged her although he still couldn't work out how she got her hand free of the cuff.

He'd finally relaxed knowing that there was no chance of Cal finding out now and Taylor was going to get the money and sort out whatever problem she had found her self in.

"Doctor Hardy. Where is your patient?" Connie asked Ethan as she approached the nurses station.

"Which one?" Ethan asked holding up the few files from the patients he was currently treating.

"The one from the RTC. Taylor Ashworth." She added.

"Who!?" Cal frowned having been stood at the computer.

"I discharged her." Ethan told her ignoring Cal.

"Discharged her? She was under arrest Doctor Hardy." She frowned angrily. "The police are here for her."

"I wasn't aware…" Ethan explained.

"Taylor? What? Under arrest?" Cal continued to question stood beside Ethan. When he didn't answer he slammed his hand on the desk asking his brother and Connie both jump.

"Doctor Knight! Calm yourself!" Connie snapped.

"I want to know what's going on and why I wasn't told!" Cal stared at Ethan.

"I had no reason to tell you… she asked me not to." Ethan explained.

"Miss Ashworth is in a lot of trouble and was caught trying to leave the country today." Connie told them. "She is wanted by the police for being involved in the murder of a child in Scotland a few month ago."

"I don't think this is the same Taylor we're talking about. She hasn't a bad bone in her body." Cal shook his head.

"I'm afraid it is." Connie told him.

"We have a problem." Ethan started.

"I'd say." Connie glared at him.

"No. She asked me for money. She said it was to pay off some men who were after her." Ethan explained.

"How much?" A police man interrupted catching the last part of their conversation.

"Two grand." Ethan shook his head not believing he'd fell for it.

"You gave her it?" He continued.

"I gave her the code to the safe at home to get it." Ethan nodded.

"Idiot." Connie spoke before walking off.

"Right, we'll be in touch." The police spoke before running off with his partner shouting something down his radio.

"You should have told me she was here!" Cal looked at Ethan.

"I genuinely thought I was helping Cal. She looked so scared…" He responded.

Cal shook his head and quickly went to the computer looking at plane times.

"What are you doing?" Ethan asked.

"If she is trying to leave the country in a rush she would have booked herself onto the next flight anywhere within a £2000 budget." He told him.

"You're not seriously thinking of going after her are you?" Ethan frowned.

"Of course I am! I want answers!" Cal shouted. He'd begun to grab the attention of everyone around him.

"Just leave it to the police Cal… come on." Ethan tried to calm him down, he'd never seen him this angry before.

"Flight to Paris. Leaves in 20 minutes." Cal muttered as he quickly jotted the details on his hand.

"No. Cal you can't go." Ethan told him.

"You stay out of it! I bet you're just loving this!" Cal shouted again as he tried to walk away but was stopped by Ethan grabbing his arm.

"Cal just stop! She is a murderer Cal! You heard them! She's been on the run for months!" Ethan tried his best to get through to him.

"But I love her!" Cal shouted back pulling his arm away. "I love her…" He said again softer before running from the ED.

Ethan ran after him only just managing to keep up and got into the passenger side of Cal's car just as he was pulling away.

"For god sake slow down!" Ethan shouted at him as he pulled his belt on nervous enough on the roads without dealing with Cal's road rage at the same time. "You're going to get us killed!"

"Just shut up will you!?" Cal shouted back.

Ethan gripped his seat as they weaved through the streets of Holby towards to airport.

Cal slammed his breaks on as he spotted a car had been pulled over and there was Taylor being dragged out of it by two police officers. They'd got to her before she even got to the airport.

He dived out of the car swiftly followed by Ethan.

"Taylor…" Cal spoke as he strided over towards her only to find Ethan in his path trying to stop him. "Leave it." Cal told his little brother as he pushed him out of the way.

This time Ethan stood right in front of him worried what he might do if he got to Taylor. "Stop!"

"God! I was going to get your money back!" Cal shouted angrily.

"No you weren't!" Ethan shouted back before grabbing hold of him.

The men wrestled to the ground before Cal pinned him down.

"What is wrong with you!?" Ethan shouted feeling his brother's grip on his wrists.

Cal looked at him before to the police car where Taylor was sat locked inside looking out of the window sadly. He couldn't see where the police officers had gone until he felt himself being dragged off the top of Ethan.

"Right that's enough. You can come with us too." One of the told him.

"No." Ethan spoke getting himself up quickly. "No it's alright, leave him. I don't want him charged."

They soon let go of Cal who just stared towards Taylor his anger turning to upset as he saw her mouth the word sorry to him making him realise it must all be true.

Ethan sighed as he watched his brother sit back on the bonnet of his head putting his head in his hands.

"What's going to happen now?" Ethan asked one of the officers.

"We will take her in. We will need to look at your flat too, just for some DNA to assist us if this goes to court. We will get it done as soon as possible and call when you can go back." He explained.

"Did she really kill a child?" Ethan couldn't help but ask.

"We don't think she physically murdered him, but we do think she was involved in the planning and the cover up…" The officer explained. "She will get the chance of a phone call tonight, she might want to call your brother. Just to warn him."

"Thank you." Ethan gave a small smile and nodded before he went back to Cal's car.

"Come on, I'll drive." He spoke softly putting his hand on Cal's shoulder.

The old man shrugged him off and stood up keeping his head down rubbing his eyes as subtly as he could before doing as he was told and getting in the car.

Ethan just sighed and got into the driver's side.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4:**

The drive back was in silence and a lot slower than their previous drive. Cal just remained staring out of his window sniffing every now and then and Ethan swore he'd seen him wipe away a stray tear a few times. He hadn't realized how much Taylor had actually meant to him.

They pulled into the car park and Ethan turned off the engine before he looked at Cal.

"We need to stay here for a while, the police want to get some evidence from home." He explained and Cal just nodded.

"Come on. We can get a coffee and wait in the staffroom where it's warmer." Ethan spoke and got out the car and was quite surprised when Cal obeyed and got out too.

Ethan lead the way inside and through the department ignoring the curious looks from the other members of staff. The only one who looked like they genuinely cared was Rita who mouthed to Ethan asking if Cal was on and Ethan gave a small nod.

In the staffroom Cal sat himself down on the sofa as Ethan made them a coffee.

"I will pay you back." Cal spoke for the first time since they had been fighting.

"Don't worry about the money Cal, that's not important." Ethan told him and placed a drink in front of his brother.

"She killed a child. I was about to propose to a murderer." He shook his head.

"They said that they don't think she murdered him, but she was involved in the plan and the cover up." Ethan explained. "They also said to warn you in case she decides to call you."

"I don't want to speak to her. I never want to see her again." Cal spoke simply.

"Alright that's totally fine." Ethan nodded.

"She probably didn't even love me. Just using me." He sighed and picked up his coffee sipping it slightly noticing that his hands were shaking he put it straight back down. "Makes me feel sick."

"You're in shock…" Ethan told him seeing his shakiness.

"I really did love her. Honestly Ethan, I did and I really didn't know she was on the run." Cal finally looked at him.

"I know. I know Cal." Ethan nodded believing every word. "I've never seen you cry over a girl before."

"Never felt that way about a girl before." He admitted. "I never want to again…"

"Not all girls are bad." Rita spoke from the door way. "How you doing?" she asked going in and sitting beside him on the sofa.

"Apart from feeling like the biggest idiot in the world, I'm fine." He told her looking down at his hands.

"I need to go and speak to Mrs Beauchamp. I'll be back soon." Ethan smiled to Rita and left to speak to their boss.

"I'm sure that brother of yours is psychic." Rita started.

"Hmm?" Cal looked at her for a second before down again.

"He didn't have a good feeling about her." She told him.

"Please don't." He shook his head. "I don't need I told you so."

"That's not what I am meaning. Your little brother cares about you and you should listen to him more. Respect him Cal. Taking a girl back to the flat and wanting Ethan out the way all the time isn't fair is it?" She explained.

"You're not our mother Rita." Cal frowned. "He won't have to worry about that anyway because I have to move out."

"No, your mother isn't here but sometimes people like you and Ethan need someone to tell you what's what." She told him. "He doesn't want you to move out."

"Really?" He looked up to her.

"Yes really, he told me. He doesn't want you gone as such, just respect his life a little more." She smiled.

"Yeah suppose I do push too far sometimes." He admitted.

"Good. Now you forget about her ok? You're too good for her. You will find the right one eventually." She smiled and rubbed his arm before standing up seeing Ethan come back in.

"That was the police…" Ethan smiled a little. "We can go back home now."

"Ok." Cal smiled and stood up straightening himself out. "Take away and beers?"

"Of course." Ethan smiled back and grabbed his bag from his locker before they both left for home.

**So not a very long fic, not the best written and to be honest i am not happy at all with the ending. But I was bored last night so I wrote it and gradually uploaded it over the course of 24 hours. Thanks to all that have read. I think that is it from me for a while now unless I get an idea that I can't wait to write. Im back at uni tomorrow and work hours are picking up dramatically so not much time.**

**Keep writing for Cal and Ethan thought I love it! Max too, I think his character has grown a lot on me lately. Would love to see someone explore his and Robyn's background. People forget they are also siblings.**

**Speak soon, love J xx**


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